Alex Khvatov:  What are your measurements (height, weight, forty time and bench press)?

Eddie Royal:  I measured at 5'9' 5/8 and 184 pounds.  I ran a 4.39 forty and did 24 reps.  I knew that I wanted to get it somewhere in the 20's.  24 reps was a good day.  I knew that I could have run faster in the forty.  It is all about technique and I just ran as hard as I could. 
 

Alex Khvatov:  Coming out of high school, what schools showed interest in you?

Eddie Royal:  Marshall, Tennessee, Maryland, Syracuse, Ohio State, Michigan and Virginia Tech.  A lot of schools on the east coast showed interest. 

Alex Khvatov:  Why was Marshall in the conversation?

Eddie Royal:  My older brother went to Marshall.  He played defensive back for them.  In 2006, he was second in interceptions for them.  He played for the Redskins, but it didn't work out.  He told me what to expect and how to prepare for the NFL.  I watched him go through it and it made easier on me.  He is in the Arena League right now playing for Cleveland. 

Alex Khvatov:  Why did choose Virginia Tech?

Eddie Royal:  My sister went to school here.  It was close to home.  It was close to the family.  My mom could come and see me play.  Coach Beamer was a big reason for me coming here.

Alex Khvatov:  You had a strong week at the Senior Bowl, describe your experience there.

Eddie Royal:  It was a great experience.  I didn't know any of the guys.  I didn't know what to expect.  I was anxious and nervous.  Everybody felt that way there.  Just knowing that everything you do, you are being watched.  They watch how you act.  I was able to relax when I got on the field.  I was having my most fun on the football field. 

Alex Khvatov:  Did you get a chance to bond with any of the players there?

Eddie Royal:  I met a couple of guys.  Good guys like LaVelle Hawkins, Adarius Bowman, Dorien Bryant, Jordy Nelson and Marcus Smith.  I worked out with Marcus Smith at the same facility.  We were all professionals.  We pushed each other in practice and wanted to get noticed.  We wanted to make a bigger play.  We were encouraging one another.  We were competitive and we pushed each other.

Alex Khvatov:  Tell me about your overall experience at the Scouting Combine.

Eddie Royal:  The thing about it is it helped me out a lot by being at the Senior Bowl.  I knew what to expect from the interview process.  You are running here and there.  I wanted to do my best.  I was anxious and I didn't sleep much the night before.  You try to show them the type of player and athlete that you are.  You want to do well.  I tried to have as much fun as I could.  I joked around as much as I could.  The interviews were great.  It was a chance to show off your football knowledge.  It is an opportunity to show how much football you know, how you see different coverages and what goes on in your head.  They wanted to figure out what type of knowledge I had.

Alex Khvatov:  What was the most unique question that you had to answer during the interview process?

Eddie Royal:  It was one coaches talking to me and then he threw it out there.  Did you ever smoke weed?  I told him that I have never done that.  He did that on purpose.  He wanted me to answer without thinking about it.  They wanted you to answer the questions truthfully.  They play mind games with you.

Alex Khvatov:  How did you perform at the Pro Day?

Eddie Royal:  I didn't do anything there.  I talked to scouts and Coach Mike Tomlin.  I had a good conversation with him.  I caught the ball on the side a little bit.  But it was mainly an interview process for me again.

Alex Khvatov:  What are your strengths on the football field?

Eddie Royal:  My versatility.  I do different things.  I return kicks and punts.  I can run reverses and throw the ball.  I threw for a touchdown in college.  I can get on the field early as a slot receiver and then become an outside receiver.  I will be able to come in and contribute right away.  My hands and my route running are good.  I have a lot of experience in big games because I played for four seasons in college.

Alex Khvatov:  What areas of your game do you need to improve upon?

Eddie Royal:  I feel like everything.  At the next level, everyone is good.  The opponents study every flaw of your game.  I need to improve every part of my game. 

Alex Khvatov:  Tell me about your former teammates WR Josh Morgan and WR Justin Harper. 

Eddie Royal:  Yeah, Josh Morgan is kind of flying under the radar.  He will get on the field early.  He is too talented to not get on the field.  He is a big, physical guy who will make catches.  Justin Harper has all of the potential in the world.  He is a big guy who has played a lot.  He runs fast and he gets the ball at the highest point.  He is a threat in the red zone.  He can use his speed to get deep.  We are all brothers.  We are honest about each other.  I honestly think that they will be good receivers.

Alex Khvatov:  Did you enjoy playing for Frank Beamer?

Eddie Royal:  Yeah, you hear all the time that he is a player's coach.  He cares about his players.  He wants to make sure that you graduate.  He cares about your life after football.  He is a family man.  We are all a family at Virginia Tech.  We look out for each other.  His son and his daughter are always around.  His wife is a great lady who looks out for everyone on the team.  I just have a lot of respect for him and his family.

Alex Khvatov:  Who is the one NFL player that you would compare your game to?

Eddie Royal:  I think Wes Welker.  He gets separation and he is dangerous after the catch.  He is a great slot receiver and punt returner.  Marvin Harrison is another one because he is a technician on the field.  He is a good route runner with great hands.  Steve Smith is a game breaker who can take it the distance every time.  As a returner, it is Devin Hester because he has shown how important it is to be a great return man.  He has proven his value as a second round pick.

Alex Khvatov:  What is the highlight of your football career up to this point?

Eddie Royal:  Two ACC Championships for our team during my freshman and senior year.  We weren't the most talented team, but we fought so hard to get there.  It was a dog fight in the fourth quarter.  I love our team.  It all starts with Coach Beamer.  We stuck together and won together. 

Alex Khvatov:  What is your favorite NFL team?

Eddie Royal:  The Redskins because they are my hometown team.  I liked watching them all along.  I don't live too far way from DC. 

Alex Khvatov:  Were you disappointed that he walked away from the game at the end of this year?

Eddie Royal:  I mean I can understand it.  The game takes a lot out of you.  He knows when to let go and probably wants to spend more time with his family.  He changed the game and he has done everything that he has set out to do.  I don't blame him for walking away.

Alex Khvatov:  Who is your favorite player?

Eddie Royal:  I really like Marvin Harrison.  You don't see him drawing attention to himself on the field.  He doesn't celebrate.  He is not doing dances.  He is out there playing the game.  He wants to do his job.  He plays football and wins games.  You can see that he really loves to play the game.  I really respect that. 

Alex Khvatov:  Who is the toughest player that you have faced during your career?

Eddie Royal:  Yeah, I like Talib.  He did a great job when we played them.  He is an aggressive corner.  He is a big guy that went after the ball at the highest point.  He is one of the best athletes out there.  He had a lot of versatility. 

Alex Khvatov:  Which underclassmen on your team should we keep an eye on in the future?

Eddie Royal:  CB Macho Harris.  He will make a lot of plays next year.  Kam Chancellor will play free safety next year.  He didn't get a lot of attention this season.

Alex Khvatov:  Do you think QB Tyrod Taylor will turn into a star?

Eddie Royal:  Yeah, I mean he is going to be a special one.  He will make plays.  A lot of people don't know how great his arm is.  He is able to move around and step up in the pocket.  You see flashes of what he can do in practice.  He is the next great QB out of Virginia Tech.  He can run, but Tyrod is more of a polished passer than he is given credit for.  His footwork will be better.  He has spoken to Michael Vick and he is helping Ty.  He is going to develop into a good passer before he comes out.

Alex Khvatov:  What do you enjoy most about playing football?

Eddie Royal:  Competing.  Just going out there in the fourth quarter and knowing that on fourth and 10, it is coming your way.  You work hard with your teammates.  You are fighting with your teammates in battle.  Coming out victorious is the best feeling in the world. 

Alex Khvatov:  When did you realize that you can play in the NFL?

Eddie Royal:  Probably in high school.  I had the confidence even when I was 8 years old.  I scored five touchdowns in my first game.  I had two touchdowns against Western Michigan my second game during my freshman year.  I realized then that with hard work and dedication, I could make it. 

Alex Khvatov:  What separates you from all of the other players at your position?

Eddie Royal:  My return ability.  A lot of teams need a return guy to be the next Devin Hester.  I have had great coaching.  They don't need to wait a year or two for me to develop.  I am NFL ready right now.  I can be the slot receiver and an outside guy. 

Alex Khvatov:  What is the one thing in your daily life that you can't live without?

Eddie Royal:  I am definitely a family guy.  It is the seven of us.  I talk to my family all the time, and my mom is important to me.

Alex Khvatov:  Tell me something about yourself that makes you unique.

Eddie Royal:  I really never thought about it.  I want to go back to my high school and coach there.  That is my dream that I started when I was a little kid.  I was too little to play football with my older brothers.  So they said that I can be the coach.  They never listened to me, but that is when my dream started.

Alex Khvatov:  What do you like to do away from the football field?

Eddie Royal:  I just started bowling a lot.  I went bowling yesterday.  My high score was 210.  It's not that great, but I will get better.  I started to get into golf.  I am trying to swing hard at the ball.  I have to be more patient.  Hopefully I will be better next year.

Alex Khvatov:  What effect did the shooting at Virginia Tech last year have on the university, on the football program and on you?

Eddie Royal:  It was an awful thing to go through.  The university showed its strength.  It made me appreciate life and people around me.  I didn't know any of the victims, but I appreciated everyone that I talked to.  As a football team, it was an outlet for people.  They would come to the games and wouldn't think about that.  They had fun.  We would go out there, have fun and put on a show.

Alex Khvatov:  Tell me about your former teammate RB Branden Ore who was dismissed from the team this off-season.

Eddie Royal:  I mean I don't know what happened.  I have talked to some of my teammates and no one knows what happened.  All I could say is that he was one of the best teammates I had.  He gave everything that he had.  He would pick up the blitz.  He is a great guy.  He is the type of guy that you wanted on your team.  He was a great friend.  It had to be a misunderstanding between the coaches.  He is one of the best football guys around.  No one can question his toughness.  He played through injuries all the time.  He has been working really hard and he stayed in shape. 

Alex Khvatov:  Finish the sentence, Eddie Royal is:..

Eddie Royal:  a guy that is accountable.  He would come in and play early for you.  He would give you everything that he has.  I am a team player.  I am going to do everything that a team needs to me to do.